Dr. Sharon Keene talks causes of Androgenic Alopecia. After the Human Genome Project, it was discovered that just having a particular gene doesn’t mean you will have that disease or carry a particular trait. Genes have to be active and the study of Epigenetics looks into those factors, many being environmental. Stressors such as exposure to chemicals, UV light, smoking, alcohol consumption and emotional stress play a part in the onset of male and female pattern baldness. There are more things patients can do about hair loss today than ever before, including cotrolling the causes of their baldness.